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The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel. 40th Ed.

30
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Explore Ernst Haeckel, the 19th-century artist-biologist who found beauty in the most unlikely creatures. This collection features 300 prints from his most important publications, including the majestic Kunstformen der Natur and his catalogues of marine life. These exquisite images are a scientific, artistic and environmental masterwork.
Hardcover6.1 x 8.5 in.2.45 lb512 pages
“…as energetic and colorful as Haeckel’s life. It’s scientific eye candy that feels as fresh as Haeckel’s groundbreaking biological art must have seemed more than a century ago.”
The Washington Post
“A dazzling graphic work... One is left astounded by these mesmerizing wonders.”
Le Monde
The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel. 40th Ed.

The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel. 40th Ed.

30

Microbial Marvels

Ernst Haeckel, the 19th-century pioneer who captured the artistic beauty of the natural world

Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919) was a German-born biologist, naturalist, evolutionist, artist, philosopher, and doctor who spent his life researching flora and fauna from the highest mountaintops to the deepest ocean. A vociferous supporter and developer of Darwin’s theories of evolution, he denounced religious dogma, authored philosophical treatises, gained a doctorate in zoology, and coined scientific terms which have passed into common usage, including ecology, phylum, and stem cell.

At the heart of Haeckel’s colossal legacy was the motivation not only to discover but also to explain. To do this, he created hundreds of detailed drawings, watercolors, and sketches of his findings which he published in successive volumes, including several marine organism collections and the majestic Kunstformen der Natur (Art Forms in Nature), which could serve as the cornerstone of Haeckel’s entire life project. Like a meticulous visual encyclopedia of living things, Haeckel’s work was as remarkable for its graphic precision and meticulous shading as for its understanding of organic evolution. From bats to the box jellyfish, lizards to lichen, and spider legs to sea anemones, Haeckel emphasized the essential symmetries and order of nature, and found biological beauty in even the most unlikely of creatures.

In this book, we celebrate the scientific, artistic, and environmental importance of Haeckel’s work, with a collection of 300 of his finest prints from several of his most important tomes, including Die Radiolarien, Monographie der Medusen, Die Kalkschwämme, and Kunstformen der Natur. At a time when biodiversity is increasingly threatened by human activities, the book is at once a visual masterwork, an underwater exploration, and a vivid reminder of the precious variety of life.
The authors

Julia Voss gained her doctorate with a thesis on visual representations of Darwinian evolution theory. Until 2017, she was head of the art department of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and deputy head of the features section. Voss is an honorary professor at Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, and her research focusses on the history of abstraction, restitution and provenance, and the connections between evolutionary theory and culture.

Rainer Willmann holds a chair in zoology at Göttingen University, is director of its Zoological Museum, and is cofounder of its Centre for Biodiversity and Ecology Research. A specialist in phylogenetics and evolution, he conducts research into biodiversity and its history.

The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel. 40th Ed.
Hardcover15.6 x 21.7 cm1.11 kg512 pages

ISBN 978-3-8365-8427-2

Edition: French

ISBN 978-3-8365-8428-9

Edition: English
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5

/5

4 Ratings

Très bel ouvrage

Karine,November 2, 2021
Très bel ouvrage que j'ai eu le plaisir d'offrir et de mettre à disposition de mes proches dans ma bibliothèque. Des illustrations qui mettent en valeur le caractère précoce et approfondi des recherches d'Haeckel : des récits qui invitent à plus de connaissance et d'expérience de vie.

Perfect coffee table book!

Kevin,October 28, 2021
I had heard about Ernst Haeckel through another excellent book on the ocean, and wanted to get a coffee table book with some of his amazing illustrations. This book is certainly that, with high-quality reproductions of his drawings and very thorough background info on Ernst himself.

Très bel ouvrage

Karine,November 2, 2021
Très bel ouvrage que j'ai eu le plaisir d'offrir et de mettre à disposition de mes proches dans ma bibliothèque. Des illustrations qui mettent en valeur le caractère précoce et approfondi des recherches d'Haeckel : des récits qui invitent à plus de connaissance et d'expérience de vie.

Livre Intéressant

Florian,October 27, 2021
Livre très intéressant pour ces planches de dessins magnifiquement reproduites